— by Renard N. Bansale — The peak of the 2018 summer movie season has passed us. Some in the cinema world have begun staring deep into the horizon for the expected annual onslaught of Oscar contenders that seek to attract awards voters throughout autumn and winter. Before I even consider doing that, I would like to take a moment …

— by Renard N. Bansale — Potential spoilers below The 90th Academy Awards take place this Sunday. Betting contests on who will win and debates on who should win rage until the moment each category’s presenter reads the card from the sealed envelope. I prefer to just stick by my personal picks (strictly from the final list of nominees), accept …

— by Renard N. Bansale — Definite spoilers below One of my go-to film websites is the B+ Movie Blog, and he has an annual tradition I greatly appreciate: On the Saturday before the annual Academy Awards, he writes articles on his five favorite moments in each Best Picture nominee. I love that tradition because it cuts through all the awards …

— by Renard N. Bansale — Potential spoilers below In life as well as in sports, we root for the underdog, either because we are underdogs ourselves or because we cannot stand even the smallest of injustices. That is why, along with my overall top ten films, I make a list of the most underrated films of each year (see my …

— by Renard N. Bansale — Potential spoilers below Another year in cinema, another belated top ten films list. Again, my apologies to all those who prefer top ten lists published within a week or two on either side of New Year’s Day. Cinema in 2017, in response to the chaos of the year before, seemed exhausted and bleak. The ideological …

With each new year emerges a bevy of top 10 lists from every possible subject of interest, and film is no different. Most critics, both amateur and professional, would write and publish these lists in time for the new year. Some, on the other hand, prefer to wait an additional month to ensure a thorough consideration of all those potential …

(2018—Director: Matthew Heineman) — by Renard N. Bansale — ★★★½ (out of 5 stars) “I hate being in a warzone, but I also feel compelled…compelled to see it for myself.” … “Because you’re addicted to it.” — Marie Colvin (Rosamund Pike) and Paul Conroy (Jamie Dornan) “Of all the women in the world, I love spending time with you most. …

(2018—Director: Jonah Hill) — by Renard N. Bansale — ★★★½ (out of 5 stars) “You literally take the hardest hits out of anybody I’ve ever seen in my life. You know you don’t have to do that, right?” — Ray (Na-kel Smith) to Stevie (Sunny Suljic) Potential spoilers below A common adage heard in every writing class is “Write what …